What is the Woolworths Enterprise Bargaining Agreement?
Woolworths Supermarkets workers are covered by the Woolworths Australian Food Group Agreement 2024 Agreement. This is a legally binding document, and your employer must comply with the provisions outlined in the agreement.
The Woolworths Agreement sets out all of your pay and conditions at work. It is specific to Woolworths Supermarkets workers only.
The current Woolworths Agreement commenced on 21 October 2024. The nominal expiry date is 17 April 2028.
The SDA Union negotiates with Woolworths on your behalf to secure improved pay and conditions in your agreement. It contains important entitlements and rights, for example:
- Woolworths Rates of pay
- Woolworths Pay rises
- Woolworths Rostering rights
- Woolworths Breaks
- Woolworths Penalty rates
- Woolworths Overtime
- Woolworths Leave provisions
Generally, a new agreement is negotiated every 3-4 years.
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What breaks should I be getting at Woolworths?
You have a right to take breaks at work and it’s important that all Woolworths Supermarkets workers are receiving correct rest and meal breaks. The Woolworths EBA details your entitlement to unpaid meal breaks and paid rest breaks. Rest breaks, also known as ‘tea breaks’, are paid, short pauses that allow you to recharge before continuing your shift. Meal breaks are longer, unpaid periods of rest during your workday that provide an opportunity to have a meal.
Your Woolworths breaks can be found below:
| Time worked per shift | Rest break (paid) | Meal break (unpaid) |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 4 hours | No rest break | No meal break |
| 4 hours and up to and including 5 hours | 1 x 15 minute rest break | No meal break |
| More than 5 hours but less than 7 hours | 1 x 15 minute rest break | 1 x 30 minutes (or 60 minutes by agreement) |
| 7 hours or more, but less than 10 hours | 2 x 15 minute rest breaks | 1 x 30 minutes (or 60 minutes by agreement) |
| 10 hours or more | 2 x 15 minute rest breaks | 2 x 30 minutes (or 60 minutes by agreement) |
Learn more about your rights when it comes to breaks
What are my penalty rates at Woolworths?
Penalty rates are higher rates of pay you earn for working outside the ordinary hours. Penalty rates can apply to late evenings and early mornings, weekends and public holidays.
Penalty rates are so important for Woolworths workers as they compensate you for working unsociable hours – it’s crucial that you are being paid correctly.
Your Woolworths penalty rates can be found below:
| Days of the week | Hours | Full-time and part-time rates of pay | Casual rates of pay (penalty rates are inclusive of 25% casual loading) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday | 7:00am to 6:00pm | Base rate | Base rate + 25% |
| 6:00pm to 11:00pm | Base rate + 25% | Base rate + 50% | |
| Saturday | 7:00am to 11:00pm | Base rate + 25% | Base rate + 50% |
| Monday through Saturday | 11:00pm to 7:00am | First 3 hours: base rate + 50% Additional hours in this span over 3 hours: Base rate + 100% | First 3 hours: base rate + 75% Additional hours in this span over 3 hours: Base rate + 125% |
| Sunday | Midnight to 9:00am 9:00am to 11:00pm 11:00pm to midnight | Base rate + 100% Base rate + 50% Base rate +100% | Base rate + 125% Base rate + 75% Base rate + 125% |
What are my pay rates at Woolworths?
SDA Union members can access personalised wage rates specific to your workplace in our Members Area.
If you want to find out your rates of pay, click on the button below.
Log in now to view your rates of pay at Woolworths Supermarkets.
Not an SDA Union member? Read more about the benefits here
What is the union for Woolworths workers?
The SDA is the union for the retail industry and Woolworths Supermarkets workers. We advocate for better wages, fair working conditions, safer workplaces and the protection of your workplace rights.
Being an SDA Union member at Woolworths means that you are protected at work. If you have an issue at work including underpayments, rostering, breaks or any workplace problem the SDA Union has your back.
How can you have a say about your EBA Agreement?
During the negotiations for a new agreement, SDA Union asks Woolworths employees about what’s important to you at work and any changes you’d like to see in your new EBA. You can have your say by taking our Woolworths EBA survey online or in store or by talking to your SDA Union Delegate or Organiser.
Your feedback helps to form the Log of Claims, which is what the SDA Union takes to negotiate with the company. That’s why it’s important to have your say – so we can push for improvements to your pay, conditions and entitlements.
Once negotiations are complete, the proposed agreement is put to a vote. Generally, you can participate in voting through a verified and independent third party online, or via phone.
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Download the Woolworths Australian Food Group Agreement 2024
Download the Woolworths Australian Food Group Agreement 2024
SDA Union members have exclusive access to our members only area which includes personalised rates of pay and detailed information about your specific agreement.
If you’re an SDA Union member, you can access this now.
Not an SDA Union member? Read more about the benefits here
What makes the Woolworths EBA better than the Retail Award?
All agreements negotiated by the SDA Union contain above award entitlements. The Woolworths EBA must be better off overall than the Retail Award and be approved by the Fair Work Commission. The Retail Award is the minimum industry standards that apply for your industry.
A key benefit of SDA Union membership is having the SDA Union sit down with your employer to negotiate a new agreement.
We make sure that your pay and conditions don’t just include all the benefits of the Retail Award but that your agreement has even more improvements.
As a result of the SDA’s work bargaining for new agreements, Woolworths employees have these above award conditions:
| Condition | The Woolworths Agreement | The Retail Award |
|---|---|---|
| Higher wage rates than the Award | Yes | No |
| Adult rates at 20 years of age and higher junior rates for employees under 16 years. | Yes | No |
| 15 minute paid rest breaks | Yes | No |
| By agreement an employee working a shift of more than 5 and up to 6 hours may take their unpaid break at the end of the shift. | Yes | No |
| Part time employees can elect to increase their contract hours if they have worked additional hours for at least 6 months | Yes | No |
| Inclusion of a “shift swap” provision. | Yes | No |
| A 4 day work week for full time employees and part time employees (who work 5 days per week) by agreement. | Yes | No |
| Permanent employees entitled to 11 days of personal/carers leave. | Yes | No |
| Employees may use personal leave to manage emotional/psychological wellbeing. | Yes | No |
| An employee may provide evidence once every 6 months when caring for an immediate family member with a long term disability or illness. | Yes | No |
| Permanent employees entitled to up to 10 days of compassionate leave on the death of a spouse, defacto partner or child. | Yes | No |
| An additional 2 days of paid compassionate leave (for parents and siblings) where the funeral is outside Australia or more than 400km one way. | Yes | No |
| Permanent employees are entitled to parental leave provisions upon commencement of employment. | Yes | No |
| Payment for employees engaged in jury service is uncapped. | Yes | No |
| Permanent employees are entitled to 3 days of paid natural disaster leave. | Yes | No |
| Long Service Leave may be taken at double the period and half pay where this provision is not provided for in the relevant state or territory legislation. In addition, public holidays that fall during this leave are re-credited where the state or territory legislation does not provide this entitlement. | Yes | No |
| If Easter Sunday is not a declared public holiday in Tasmania, it will be treated as a public holiday. | Yes | No |
| Superior redundancy entitlements. | Yes | No |
| A Right to Care clause that contains principles that recognise that employees have caring commitments outside work and includes reference to meaningful hours of work and predictable and stable working hours and rosters. | Yes | No |
| Where Woolworths propose to change a part time employee’s roster this will trigger a discussion on increasing that employee’s standard rostered hours based on average weekly hours worked over the last 6 months. | Yes | No |
| Hours worked outside the span of hours are to be paid at the overtime rate equivalent and include employer superannuation contributions and leave accruals. | Yes | No |
| Employees can nominate to work in stores in addition to their base store. These additional stores may be Woolworths Supermarkets or other stores in the Woolworths Group. Employees will be paid the higher rates applicable to the store/business they are working in. Employees or Woolworths can withdraw agreement to this arrangement with 28 days’ notice. | Yes | No |
| Employees have a process to address concerns about workload and staffing. | Yes | No |
| Inclusion of provisions addressing employee safety and security including escort to car after dark and provision of lockers. | Yes | No |
| Reference to respectful workplaces and diversity and inclusion. | Yes | No |
| Woolworths will respond to an employee’s request for annual leave within 2 weeks. When an employee requests annual leave, consideration will be given coinciding with a spouse’s leave. | Yes | No |
| Ability to take annual leave at half pay. | Yes | No |
| The option to purchase additional leave. | Yes | No |
| An employee who is ill or injured while on annual leave may apply to have their annual leave recredited and instead use personal leave. | Yes | No |
| Inclusion of an unpaid leave clause. | Yes | No |
| Work on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and Easter Sunday (where not a public holiday) to be voluntary (subject to there being enough volunteers). | Yes | No |
| Woolworths will provide a statement of service upon request. | Yes | No |
*This is general information only. Your entitlements will depend on your specific workplace, level and type of employment. SDA members can find out what applies you by contacting us.
Resources for SDA Union members
Being an SDA Union member means you receive access to important information about your pay and conditions at Woolworths Supermarkets.
We can help SDA members at Woolworths Supermarkets to understand their rights at work.
As the union for retail workers we also work hard to keep you informed about any proposed changes to your entitlements including:
- During negotiations for a new agreement
- Before voting on a new agreement
- Changes to workplace legislation
Whether it’s your roster, breaks or what penalty rates apply – the SDA Union can provide you with information, support and advice that’s specific to Woolworths Supermarkets.
SDA members can access important resources and information that’s specific to your workplace.